Canton police officer accused of retail theft

A city police officer was formally accused Tuesday of retail theft from the local Wal-Mart store in February and placed on administrative leave.

Michael Smothers

A city police officer was formally accused Tuesday of retail theft from the local Wal-Mart store in February and placed on administrative leave.

Jarrod Smith was removed of his badge and department-issued firearm when he was served with a notice to appear June 2 in Fulton County Circuit Court on a misdemeanor charge of retail theft under $150, said city Police Chief Dan Taylor.

Revealing Smith's case after the City Council meeting Tuesday night, Taylor referred questions about what Smith allegedly stole from the store to the Illinois State Police Department, which conducted the investigation at his department's request. A state police spokesman was unavailable to discuss the case Tuesday night.

"We handled this expeditiously. Everything was ethical and above board" in how the case was investigated and the charge filed, said City Administrator Jim Snider.

Because of Smith's past professional contacts with the Fulton County State's Attorney's Office, it referred prosecution of the case to the Illinois Appellate Prosecutor's Office, Taylor said.

The city department, meanwhile, has asked the Canton Fire and Police Commission to investigate a department charge of failure to uphold professional conduct and responsibility against Smith, who could be dismissed from the department if found guilty. He will remain on leave with pay pending the outcome, Taylor said.

Smith, whom Taylor said has been a city officer for several years, has had past disciplinary issues. He and two other officers received short suspensions after they permitted an area college student to photograph them in uniform with department weapons in police headquarters for her class project in November 2009.